Dispensing apparatus



Feb. 21, 1933. w. J. BRAGGER DISPENS ING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 9. 1929 INVENTOR W.J. BRAGGER BY J77 ZZM/ ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. BRAGGER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 PATENT QFFICE OLDE HOMESTEADE PRODUCTS 00., 015 LOS AN GELES, CALIFORNIA, A PARTNERSHIP COMPOSED OF U. A. FIELDS AND F. E. FIELDS, OF THE UNITE-D STATES, AND F. B. (I

BRAGGER, OF GREAT BRITAIN DISPENSING APPARATUS Application filed October 9, 1929.

This invention relates to soda fountain accessories, and has for an object the provision of a bracket whereby a syrup dispensing receptacle, or a receptacle capable of being employed for other purposes, may be supported upon one of the draft tubes which form one of the essential parts of the conventional soda fountain.

Another object is the provision of a bracket of the general character described, which is reversible to permit thebracket to extend to either side of the draft tube upon which it is mounted.

A'still further object is the provision of a bracket as described, which is adjustable to properly support the receptacle in vertical position regardless of the angularity of the draft tube upon which the bracket is secured.

A still further object is the provision of a bracket of the general character described, which is of an exceedingly simple nature, and yet which is capable of affording an extreme degree of convenience.

The invention possesses other objects and advantageous features, some of which, with those enumerated, will beset forth in the following description of the inventionls particular embodiment which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming a part of the specification.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a soda fountain, and showing the dispensingapparatus of the present invention in operative position. a

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the bracket.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation, the direction of view being indicated by the arrow 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken between the socket and the adjacent portion of its supporting arm, and showing the socket in side elevaiton. The plane of section is indicated by the line H of Fig. 3, and the direction of view by the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken upon the line 55 of Fig. 3, with the direction of view as indicated, and showing the outer portionof the arm in side elevation.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, horizontal sec- Serial No. 398,418.

tional view showing the manner of joining the two sections of the arm. The plane of section is taken upon the line 66 of Fig. 5, with the direction of view as indicated by the arrows.

At the present time, there are many kinds of beverages and beverage syrups available upon the market, for which sucha large demand has developed that in order to meet trade requirements, soda fountains must be provided with several dispensing receptacles adapted to contain these syrups or beverages. However, the characteristics of soda fountains, are such that the counter area thereof, is materially restrict-ed; with the result that a considerably great amount of inconvenience is caused by the presence of a number of these receptacles upon the surface of the counter. The apparatus of the present invention, is adapted to overcome this undesirable condition by providing means for supporting such receptacles upon the draft tubes, or delivery tubes of the conventional soda fountain.

Fig. 1 shows a pair of brackets constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, and mounted in such a manner, upon the delivery tubes 11 of a conventional soda fountain 12, that they are capable of supporting syrup dispensing receptacles 13 thereupon, and thus save the amount of space upon the counter 14, which would otherwise be occupied by-the receptacles 13. r

In its preferred embodiment, each bracket comprises a two-part clamp 16. The two parts of the clamp 16 which may be firmly clamped together by means of bolts 17 and wing nuts 18, are each provided with a semicircular portion 19' adapted to encircle a draft tube 11, the parts being so proportioned that when the nuts 18- are tightened upon the bolts 17 the clamp 16 will be rigidly attached to the draft tube 11.

An arm 21 extends from one ofthe portions of the clamp 16, and is preferably formed of two sections, one of which may be formed integral with one of the portions of the clamp 16. The outer end of the section 22 of the arm 21, which is connected to the clamp 16, is provided with a cylindrical head 23 disposed in substantial parallelism with the major axis of that portion of the draft tube 11 upon which the clamp 16 is engaged. The head 23 is provided with opposed notches 24 upon the sides of the head and extending longitudinally thereof, as best shown upon The other section 26 of the arm 21, is provided with lugs 27 adapted to slip over the ends of the head 23, each of these lugs 27 being rovided with a central aperture. The holes in the lugs 27 are in axial alignment with each other, but the distance from their common axis to the end 28 of the section 26 between the lugs 27, is less than the outside radius of the head 23; with the result that the fastening bolt 29 which is employed to fasten the section 26 to the section 22, can be passed through the holes in the lugs 27 and through the axial hole 31 in the head 23, only when the end 28 of the section 26 is seated within one of the notches 24.

Inasmuch as the notches 24 are upon opposite sides of the head 23, it is obviousthat the section 26 may be attached to extend from either side of the section 22 of the arm, and then firmly secured at such angularity therewith by passing the bolt 29 through all the aligned holes. Obviously, rotation of the section 26 in respect to the section 22, can not take place without removal of the bolt 29, because of the engagement of the end 28 of the section 26 within one of the notches 24. A wing nut 32 is provided upon the bolt 29 to releasably retain the bolt in position.

The outer end of the section 26 of the arm 21, is provided with a circular head 36, the outer faces 37 of which are disposed substantially vertically, and are provided with a plurality of radial beads and depressions 38.

A socket member 41 is provided upon one side thereof with a circular face 42 having radial beads and depressions 43 complementary to the beads and depressions 38 of the section 26 of the arm 21. A threaded pin 44 extends axially from the face 42 of the socket member 41 and through an aperture 45 disposed axially of the circular head 36, a wing nut 46 being threaded onto the pin 44 on the opposite side of the head 36, to retain the socket member 41 in adjusted position. The socket member 41 also includes an annular upstanding flange 47, the bore 48 of which tapers complementarilv to the bottom 49 of the receptacle 13, which is to be seated therein. Relieved portions 51 are formed in the front and back of the flange 47, to accommodate the faucet 52 of the receptacle 13, it being understood that the faucet 52 is adjacent the bottom of the receptacle 13 so as to permit withdrawal of substantially all of the contents thereof, through the faucet.

Whereas any suitable type of receptacle 13 may be employed, the bracket of the present invention is designed primarily for use with that type of receptacle which comprises a lower reservoir jar 56 adapted to seat within the socket formed by the bore 48 of the socket member 41. This jar 56 may be removed from the socket member 41 for the purpose of washing or sterilizing, but it is not intended that the jar 56 shall be so removed very frequently. It is supplied with the syrup, beverage or whatever commodity it is intended to dispense, by means of a supply receptacle 57 adapted to be disposed in inverted position upon the top of the jar 56 with the mouth of the supply receptacle 57 disposed inside the jar 56 so that the contents of the supply receptacle 57 will flow therefrom into the jar 56, as rapidly as the liquid is withdrawn from the faucet 52.

The bracket is mounted upon a draft or delivery tube 11 by first loosening the nuts 18 to permit separation of the two portions of the clamp 16, whereupon they may be inserted upon the draft tube 11, and the bolts 17 reinserted and their nuts 18 tightened to rigidly attach the bracket to the draft tube 11. The section 26 of the arm 21. should then be mounted upon the section 22, to extend preferably in the same direction from the counter 14 as that in which the draft tubes 11 extend, so as to increase the distance between the counter 14 and the dis pensing. receptacle. The bolt 29 should then be inserted to retain the end 28 of the section 26 in the opposite groove 24, thus locking the sections 26 and 22 of the arm 21 in selected arrangement. The nut 47 should then be loosened to permit rotational adjustment of the socket member 41, so as to bring its axis into vertical position, whereupon the nut 47 should again be tightened to retain the parts as arranged. The bracket is then ready to receive the receptacle 13 which should be so disposed with its lower end 49 in the socket formed by the bore 48, that the faucet 52 extends toward the operator.

The provision of means for adjusting the socket member 41 in rotational movement in respect to the section 26 of the arm 21, is desirable for the reason that the angularity of all draft tubes 11, is not the same; and therefore, I deem it expedient to provide means for adjusting the socket member to bring its axis into true vertical alignment after the bracket has been positioned upon the particular draft tube with which it is to be employed. Furthermore, the possibility of reversing the section 26 in respect to the section 22 of the arm 21, permits the same bracket to be employed to extend to either side of the draft tube 11 and still have the section 26 extending toward the operator and away from the counter 14. This feature also permits a dealer to carry but a single type of bracket in stock, and yet be enabled to supply the demand for brackets to extend either to the right or left, because when a soda fountain 12 is provided with two draft tubes 11, two 7 brackets of the same type may be employed,

and still position the receptacles 13 upon the outer sides thereof, as indicated upon Fig. 1.

It is to be understood that the details of the invention as herein disclosed, are subject to alteration within the spirit or scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

As a soda fountain accessory, a bracket for supporting a syrup dispensing receptacle upon a delivery tube, comprising a clamp rigidly securable to said tube, an arm comprising a pair of sections, one of said sections being rigid with said clamp and having a cylindrical head at its outer end with opposed notches on the sides of the head and extending longitudinally thereof, the inner end of the other of said sections being optionally enga-geable within either of said notches and having lugs securable over the ends of the head, said lugs having holes therethrough in register with an axial bore in said head when the inner end of said other section is seated within one of the notches, a pin extending through said holes, a socket adapted to receive a portion of said receptacle, a pin pivotally joining said socket to said other section, and a nut threaded on said pin, the adjacent portions of said other section and socket having complementary radial beads and depressions to retain the socket in adjusted position in respect to the arm.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

W. J. BRAGGER. 

